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гг
Miss A Brimelow
CRE1
Department of Trade
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Here 121/12
18 DEC 1961
Your Lele
No
сак
Our reference.
30/12
Plin 22/1
Date
14 December 1981
Dear Alison
ARTICLE 113 COMMITTEE (DEPUTIES): 11 DECEMBER QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS: HONG KONG REQUEST FOR CONSULTATIONS IN RESPECT OF FRENCH MEASURES
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see (23
1. Under Other Business, Abbott (Commission) informed the Committee that Hong Kong had made a démarche to the Commission and separately to the French seeking GATT Article XXIII:1 consultations in respect of the maintenance by France of certain QRs. This was a matter of concern to the whole Community. The Commission would be in touch with the French, in the first instance, about how to respond. Traditionally, the EC did not refuse such requests for consultations. Commission believed that the démarche had arisen from a particular French measure on quartz watches, where the French were entitled under Community rules to maintain a restrictive
Abbott presumed that the Hong Kong démarche was not toally unconnected with current discussions on renewal of the MFA.
Iturned home regime, but where until October the French had issued
brem kahen
anyway.
licences freely.
The
2. The French said that the matter was presently before their Ministers. On a personal basis, Dechellotte stressed the need for prudence. The Hong Kong request raised questions of principle concerning the maintenance of selective safeguard measures. It could foreshadow requests by other partners.
3. The Germans, after expressing their dislike for national QRS in a common market, stressed the need for the matter to be dealt with in close cooperation with the 113 Committee. Abbott recognised the potentially serious implications for all Member States and undertook to act in close cooperation with the Committee.
心
Yours. Brian
BG Bender
CC:
R Kinchen Esq, ECD (E) FCO Hong Kong & Gen Dept, FCO R J Meadway Esq, CRE1 DOT J Hicks Esq, PTM DOI
P Westmacott Esq, PARIS
B F Harding Esq, UKMIS GENEVA